As a now graduated history major, I find it difficult to believe that people consider history unimportant to their lives. This blog was established to be my space to share the history that interests me, and is dedicated to explaining history and its importance today.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Dead Sea

If you go south in Israel, there is no reason not to stop at the Dead Sea; nowhere else in the world is the same. Sure, there are other salty lakes, but the Dead Sea is so much more.

The English translation from the Hebrew is kinder; Yam ha Maved means Killer Sea.

As the name suggests, nothing lives in the Dead Sea. It is said Cleopatra loved the Dead Sea so much she ordered cosmetics to be made from it. Egyptians used mud from the Dead Sea in the mummification process.

As if this wasn’t enough to set this lake apart, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth, lying at 400 meters, 1,300 feet, below seal level. This is within a few miles of Jerusalem, which lies in the hilly part of the country. Volcanic activity in the region caused many of the minerals to be deposited in the area. These minerals, coupled with the salt, make the waters of the Dead Sea very good for the skin.

The high salt content also makes every person buoyant; floating is extremely easy. That’s actually about all you can do in it really because staying upright is extremely difficult. While you don’t need to be there too long (especially because it is so hot), it is worth making a stop. It is something you can’t experience anywhere else.

I don’t have that many pictures, because it’s really just a lake. But I do have a couple. Enjoy!